“As we navigate the next chapter of growth in an increasingly complex and interconnected global economy, the need for strategic clarity and operational scalability has never been more critical. To compete at a global level, we must align the board’s long-term vision with emerging technologies and internal infrastructure demands. Hilina’s proven track record of transformative growth in the hospitality industry and her powerful voice for positive change makes her the ideal leader for this moment. This is a people-centered business. Hilina’s knack for connection and emotional intelligence will strengthen meaningful collaborations across the entire meetings and events industry,” said Jason Dunn, Sr., NCBMP CEO.

Ajakaiye brings a dynamic combination of strategic innovation and community-driven leadership to NCBMP. During her five-year tenure as Executive Vice President at Meet Boston, she collaborated with key stakeholders across business, government, and community organizations to drive sustainable tourism growth and economic impact, contributing to over $22 billion in state revenue. Her leadership in launching TheBOS, Boston’s first mobile visitor information center, and spearheading the “All Inclusive Boston” campaign, an award-winning initiative that reshaped the city’s tourism brand, leading to a 400% increase in web traffic and 1.1 million social media impressions, demonstrated her ability to blend strategic vision with measurable impact.

Under Ajakaiye’s leadership, Meet Boston led innovative approaches to inclusive economic growth. She spearheaded comprehensive workforce development initiatives that created tailored training programs through the newly formed Partner Academy, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds to build careers in hospitality and tourism. Simultaneously, her supplier diversity initiative expanded Meet Boston’s network to intentionally include women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses, creating an accessible platform that enables industry partners to diversify their procurement processes.

In 2023, Meet Boston transitioned from a traditional membership model to a partnership model under her direction, increasing inclusivity while driving a 25% boost in revenue. Ajakaiye also mobilized the Meet Boston Foundation to enhance community engagement and elevate the visitor experience through cultural tourism.

“On behalf of the City of Boston, I am proud to see the addition of a local partner, friend, and community leader like Hilina Ajakaiye to the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals,” said Segun Idowu, City of Boston Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion for Mayor Michelle Wu. “Hilina has been an incredible force for good on the ground in a changing Boston, and has been a key driver of the expansion of the city’s image to be more inclusive, welcoming, and accessible. I know she will bring an extensive record of accomplishment to NCBMP, and we are certainly looking forward to continuing our deep partnership with her as we work together to bring more diverse events to this new majority city.”

Local business leaders have experienced firsthand the impact of Ajakaiye’s community-centered approach. “When we first opened Park 54 in Hyde Park nearly three years ago, it was Hilina Ajakaiye who truly saw us. She believed in what we were building and used her relationships to make sure others saw us too,” said Tasha Hull, owner of Park 54 Restaurant and Lounge in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston. “Hilina helped us secure the exposure we needed and achieve our mission of creating a safe space for our community, and we’re forever grateful.”

“Hilina is a bold visionary leader who makes strategic and conscientious effort to build capacity wherever she goes,” said Conan Harris, CEO of Conan Harris & Associates, who partnered with Ajakaiye on Meet Boston’s Workforce Development and Supplier Diversity initiatives. “Within the hospitality & tourism industry, Hilina has been deliberate with paving opportunities of access for workforce and business owners from women and communities of color throughout greater Boston. It was an honor to work alongside her at Meet Boston, and I look forward to continued work at the national level.”

This selection reflects NCBMP’s commitment to visionary leadership at a transformative moment in the meetings and hospitality industry. As a first-generation Ethiopian immigrant who arrived in the U.S. in 1987, Ajakaiye brings a deeply personal understanding of how travel and tourism can break down barriers and create pathways to economic opportunity. Her leadership philosophy, rooted in innovation, collaboration, and community-driven economic development, exemplifies NCBMP’s vision for an industry where access and opportunity enable sustainable, scalable growth.

# # #

About NCBMP
The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization that seeks to educate and empower Black hospitality professionals, and all business minded professionals who believe in equity. Since its founding, NCBMP has made a significant impact in the hospitality community by advocating for equity and helping members maximize their return on investment.

Media Contact
Kara Gardeen
info@ncbmp.org

The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) commends the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), on its call for a response to the reported troubling discriminatory patterns of American Airlines. As we enter the peak of summer season for Black travelers, it is important to us that the friendly skies are friendly to everyone. In the current combative culture hovering over the principles of equity, it is important that the travel industry chooses dignity over tolerating discrimination. Additionally, we believe that change starts from the top of the organization and begins with the Board of Directors and C-Suite Executives.

We are recommending the following actions be implemented immediately:

• American Airlines acknowledge and report, the findings of the independent investigation.
• An Advisory Council be established and supported by an equitably paid team of diversity and inclusion experts with implementation authority. The Advisory Council should have a clear objective with measurable outcomes that are practiced companywide.
• An annual audit to measure and track experience and customer satisfaction of racially diverse travelers within the questionnaire of American Airlines patrons.
• The creation of an independent Ombuds Office to support and protect employees who witness discriminatory incidents happening within the company.
  

Why does NCBMP care?
The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals was founded February 23, 1983, on the principles of friendship, equity, and empowerment. Our Founders were all association executives, who chose to leverage their economic power to advance and recognize Black meeting professionals’ industry wide. Our very existence as an organization was created in the spirit of advocacy with the knowledge of our economic impact on a destination, airline or hotel brand. Today our organization serves as the primary organization supporting Black hospitality professionals, who represent an annual spend of $129 billion annually.

Again, we commend the position of the NAACP as it elevates awareness and supports the humanity of travel. We understand the importance of standing for fundamental freedoms and supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from all levels and we will continue to push for positive change. We know that this issue is not limited to one airline and will continue to seek dialogue and action from all segments of our industry. We also understand the power and influence of tourism to any economy and will support those, who support us, which is why our motto, and our guiding principle is…We do Business with our Friends.

ABOUT NCBMP:
The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization that seeks to educate and empower Black hospitality professionals, and all business minded professionals who believe in equity. Since its founding, NCBMP has made a significant impact in the hospitality community by advocating for equity and helping members maximize their return on investment.

Dunn to Leave Visit Cincy to Lead National Organization.

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA - November 1, 2022: Today, the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) announces its appointment of Jason Dunn, Sr. to serve as its new Executive Director. Founded in 1983, NCBMP is a non-profit organization that seeks to educate and empower Black Hospitality professionals and all proponents of equity who support or work with Black meetings and events. The hiring of Mr. Dunn to lead the national organization will take this member-based association to new heights.

“We’re elated to announce Jason Dunn, Sr. as our national Executive Director. Knowing that the authenticity of Jason’s leadership, the passion in which he builds his relationships, and his ability to move the moral consciousness of all around him, aligns with our Founders’ vision and truly makes him the best person for the job,” states NCBMP Board Chairman, Kevin Richardson. “We are now better positioned to compete, educate and highlight the impact of our business as we approach our 40^th anniversary. We are excited about Jason leading the way.”

Mr. Dunn the 1^st Black Vice President at Visit Cincy in its 77-year history, is an 18-year tourism industry veteran and will leave his current position to lead NCBMP. While at Visit Cincy, Mr. Dunn has led transformative initiatives that have positioned Cincinnati as a destination of choice for many diverse conventions. Under Mr. Dunn’s leadership, Visit Cincy has hosted 21 of the top 25 diverse organizations and the City of Cincinnati is now preparing to welcome its largest convention in 18 years, which is for the African Methodist Episcopal Church 52^nd Quadrennial Session in 2024. Specifically, Mr. Dunn has been attributed to helping rebuild Cincinnati’s image after the racial unrest in 2001 by introducing a strategic community-based engagement model for tourism growth. He is further credited with being a key influencer in the reinvention of the regions transportation system, of which he believed would help get hospitality professionals to work with dignity.

Furthermore, as a strong believer in the power of authentic local and global strategic partnerships that seek to empower communities via tourism, Mr. Dunn has initiated such key partnerships by way of Visit Cincy’s “Vibe Cincinnati” platform that have emboldened communities to organize and celebrate their cultures with intentionality. Such partnerships have led to innovative activations like “The Cincinnati Moon Festival,” “Cincy Soul’s ‘The Black Taste,’” The Cincinnati Music Festival’s “Vibe Night,” The Un-Told Speaker Series, Cincinnati Pride’s

Speaker Series, the Cincinnati International Jazz Festival, the Cincinnati Rhythm by COMPASS, and  “Cincy Sabrosso.” 

In addition, Mr. Dunn led the development of the Dan Lincoln Institute for Hospitality Leadership (IHL) program. IHL is an initiative that works to increase skilled and diverse talent in the hospitality sector by implementing innovative curriculum into Cincinnati Public Schools systems as well as with Cincinnati-based colleges, and hospitality businesses. The overall goal of IHL is to build a diverse workforce that is both grounded and visionary. IHL is the only program of its kind in the state of Ohio.

Knowing that research drives decisions, Mr. Dunn has fostered partnerships that have helped to reset the travel and tourism industry beliefs and challenged the status quo through data.  He has led the “MMGY’s Global Black Travel Study,” The Events Industry Council’s Global Equity Study, the Annual State of Black Tourism Summit, The Cincinnati Music Festival’s Economic Impact Study, The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky African American Chamber’s Black Business Economic Impact Study, Visit Cincy’s Black Leisure Travelers Destination Marketing Study and sparked the idea to create an DMO (Destination Management Organization) Assessment tool led by Destination International.

“Visit Cincy has truly prepared me for the power/impact of this industry. At the same time, NCBMP has paved the way for me to live up to its creed. Strategic partnerships rooted in authenticity, substance, and friendship will be key in leading the hospitality industry. NCBMP has a rich history of being at the forefront and we seek to make our Founders proud and work closely with our Board of Directors to ensure we are positioned to compete,” said Jason Dunn, Sr., the new Executive Director of NCBMP.

For more information on the NCBMP, visit https://ncbmp.com/.

ABOUT NCBMP:
The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization that seeks to educate and empower Black Hospitality professionals, and all business minded professionals, who support Black meetings and events. Since its founding, NCBMP has made a significant impact in the hospitality community by advocating for equity and helping members maximize their return on investment.

                                                                        #####

MEDIA CONTACT:
Dr. Tyrha M. Lindsey Warren
L.A.I. Communications
Tyrha.Lindsey@laicommunications.com

908.672.6024

By: L.A.I. Communications

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - June 4, 2021 - PRLog -- With leisure and business travel slowly recovering, the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) will lead a worthwhile conversation on what is needed for cities to rebound after a national spotlight has been shined on them due to racial tension and civil unrest. "Can Cities Rebound From Racial Tension?" is a national discussion on leading through adversity. The webinar event will take place on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (EDT).

"The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals is committed to bringing relevant conversations to the national forefront that seek to make the hospitality industry and this nation its best self," states Marlinda A. Henry, Chairwoman of NCBMP.

From Minneapolis, Minnesota with the George Floyd tragedy to Louisville, Kentucky with the Breonna Taylor misfortune, many cities across the United States have been thrust onto a national stage, not by their choosing. Yet, according to DestinationAnalysts.com, an estimated 77% of Americans will be taking leisure trips in the next three months. The Associated Press recently reported that business travel is expected to return to 70% by the end of the year. Will cities that have had highly publicized racial and civil unrest experience these same levels of growth in tourism? "Can Cities Rebound From Racial Tension?" will work to answer this question and will feature the following speakers:

• Deborah Nelson, President, Elevate Communications (Moderator)
• Cleo Battle, Chief Operating Officer, Louisville Tourism
• Erica Qualls, General Manager, Atlanta Marriott Marquis
• Melvin Tennant, President & CEO, Meet Minneapolis

To learn more information about the "Can Cities Rebound From Racial Tension?" webinar and to register for the event, visit http://www.ncbmp.com/.

ABOUT NCBMP:
The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the training needs of Black hospitality professionals, and more, that support Black meetings and events. Since its founding, NCBMP has made a significant impact in the hospitality community by advocating for equity and helping members maximize their return on investment.

Contact
L.A.I. Communications
***@laicommunications.com

Click here to view the full Press Release (PDF).

Click here to view the full Press Release.

Click here to view the full Press Release.

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Media Contacts:
Caitlyn Blizzard
cblizzard@destinationsinternational.org
1.202.835.4202

Marlinda Henry

info@ncbmp.com

571-366-1779

National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP) and Destinations International Announce Strategic Partnership

Washington, D.C. (June 26, 2020) – Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), a non-profit organization dedicated primarily to the leadership development of Black hospitality professionals and all hospitality professionals that support Black meetings and events.

The two organizations will collaborate to create a shared advocacy plan that provides comprehensive data and actions that speak to the projected disparities within the destination organization ecosystem. The goal of the partnership will seek actions that strive to educate, uplift, and unite the hospitality industry in an equitable way.

The collaborative goals that will be developed include:

• Creating, supporting and publishing a 5-year annual destination organization report card that measures diversity and inclusion in the broader hospitality industry.
  
  
• Establishing a 5-year partnership that invests in an annual leadership academy focused on an executive leadership track for diverse/Black candidates, to diversify executive level candidates.
  
  
• Leveraging partnership to position the “We’re Here to Help Campaign,” a campaign recently launched to unite the meetings and events industry.
  
  
• Diversifying and increasing the use of ethnic subject matter consultants, that are supported by Destinations International and the NCBMP network.
  
  
• Developing, implementing and sustaining an advocacy strategy to support the above goals through innovative programming and comprehensive approaches.

“Destinations International is committed to listening and engaging in conversations and working with members and partners in our industry to be a catalyst for change,” said Don Welsh, President and CEO of Destinations International. Our partnership with NCBMP will allow us to strengthen and grow our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives with a company committed to the needs of Black hospitality professionals and all hospitality professionals that support Black meetings and events.

“Destinations International has answered the call of helping us point the moral compass of the hospitality ecosystem, towards equity and empowerment,” said Jason Dunn, NCBMP Board Chair. The foundation of this partnership is cemented in gaining the understanding of where our industry is currently and establishing measurable KPIs in a sustainable way. This is the first step in the right direction, we must be bold and innovative to create change.”

About Destinations International:
Destinations International is the world’s largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards. Destinations International is about serving destination marketing professionals first and foremost. Together with almost 6,000 members and partners from nearly 600 destinations in 13 countries, Destinations International represents a powerful forward-thinking, collaborative association: exchanging bold ideas, connecting innovative people and elevating tourism to its highest potential. For more information, visit www.destinationsinternational.org. 

ABOUT NCBMP:

The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization dedicated primarily to the training needs of Black hospitality professionals and all hospitality professionals that support Black meetings/events. Since its founding, NCBMP has made a significant impact in the hospitality community by advocating for equity and helping members maximize their ROI. 

ATLANTA, Ga. June 24, 2020 – Connect, a leader in live events for meeting planners and those in the travel and tourism industry, has come alongside National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals for an unprecedented three-year strategic alliance where Connect will invest in the organization’s student scholarships, internships and professional development for its members.

The alignment with NCBMP will assist with their mission of empowering Black hospitality professionals as they have a proven track record of moving the needle in this space. Connect will donate $100,000 over the next three years to fund the organization’s important initiatives.

“We have always enjoyed a long friendship with NCBMP, but recent protests and activism has opened our eyes, and we realized we need to take urgent steps within our own industry to support racial equality,” says Chris Collinson, President of Connect.

“The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals was built on the foundation of empowerment and friendship. We are encouraged by the strategic alignment of Connect Meetings via their actions, not just their public statements and look forward to three years of empowering our friends. It is refreshing to know, that NCBMP has friends of all shades and backgrounds that believe in humanity, equity and the future of our industry,” said Jason Dunn, NCBMP Board Chair.

“We recognize the immediate need to align with great organizations like NCBMP to help ensure our industry is a leader in equality for black people,” adds Collinson. “We have long seen and understood the importance of supporting diversity in our events and company and know these dollars will help toward greater equality for all people. We wanted to double down and partner with NCBMP because the issue is urgent today.”

Contacts:
Stephanie Davis Smith, VP of Content and Marketing, Connect, 678.987.9935
Marlinda Henry, President, National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals, 571-366-1779

ABOUT CONNECT Connect is a leader in the meetings, events, travel and tourism industry. Specializing in destination marketing, the company produces digital programs, online and mobile solutions, meetings business and travel magazines, trade shows and consumer events. Connect produces national shows for meeting planners in the Corporate, Luxury, Association, Specialty, Faith, Expo, Sports and Diversity sectors as well as other state- and region-specific meetings- and hospitality-focused events. More information about the company's brands and services is available at connectmeetings.com.

ABOUT NCBMP The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization dedicated primarily to the training needs of Black hospitality professionals and all hospitality professionals that support Black meetings/events. Since its founding, NCBMP has made a significant impact in the hospitality community by advocating for equity and helping members maximize their ROI.